The present invention relates to a gift receptacle for greeting cards, cash, checks, gift certificates, and the like. The present invention more particularly relates to a gift receptacle having the exterior appearance of a castle structure and a kit containing the required materials for the assembly of a gift receptacle.
There are many special or festive occasions in which family members and other guests give gifts to the person or persons being recognized, such as wedding receptions, bridal showers, baby showers, anniversaries, birthday parties, graduation parties, retirement parties, xe2x80x9chouse-warmingxe2x80x9d parties, and the like. Furthermore, there are many religious occasions in which guests traditionally give gifts such as baptisms, communions, confirmations, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, and the like.
While many gift givers choose to give tangible gifts on such festive or religious occasions, it is also customary to give a monetary gift in the form of cash, check or gift certificate. A monetary gift allows the recipient the freedom to decide how the gift may be used.
At a wedding reception, for example, it is common that the gift givers place their gift to the newlyweds on a large table as they enter into the reception area. For those guests who prefer to give a monetary gift, a large bowl or wishing well structure is often provided to collect and store the gifts during the reception. The large bowl or wishing well structure is utilized in order to avoid the possibility of accidentally losing a gift or having a gift stolen from the reception area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,002 describes a decorated gift receptacle assembled in the shape of a decorated wishing well and a kit for the assembly of the gift receptacle. The decorated wishing well-shaped gift receptacle comprises a bottom, four upright sides, and a roof formed of stiff sheet material. The roof comprises a pair of intersecting sloping sections, wherein at least one of the sides has an opening therein. The gift receptacle further comprises a horizontal slotted platform disposed below the opening in the roof and a plurality of overlapping strips of flexible decorative material, such as lace, affixed to the exterior surfaces of the gift receptacle.
There has also been an attempt to form a storage structure having the exterior appearance of the storage structure is a castle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,989, for example, describes a three-component miniature castle structure with a storage compartment. The structure has three distinct and separate, non-integral portions, namely, a removable top portion, a base portion and cloth sack. The miniature castle structure comprises a concealed storage compartment having an inner cavity, four sides, a bottom and an open top face, formed in a structure having the exterior shape of a castle base; a removable top covering formed in the exterior shape of a castle roof; and a plush cloth sack being located in the concealed storage compartment. The cloth sack is used to conceal human infant teeth that have been lost in the normal course of growth and development of human children.
Although gift receptacles having the exterior shape of non-decorated and decorated wishing wells are known in the prior art, heretofore, a gift receptacle constructed from self-supporting sheet material and assembled in the exterior shape of a castle structure has not been taught in the prior art, and remains an appealing alternative for many special or festive occasions.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a gift receptacle having the exterior appearance of a castle structure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a kit for the assembly of a gift receptacle having the exterior appearance of a castle structure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for forming a gift receptacle having the exterior appearance of a castle structure.
These and other objects, together with the advantages thereof over the gift receptacles, kits for assembly, and methods of forming gift receptacles known in the existing art, which shall become apparent from the specification which follows, are accomplished by the invention as hereinafter described and claimed.
The present invention, therefore, provides a gift receptacle comprising an integral base, said integral base comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material folded into a bottom, four upright sides, and a roof having a centrally disposed slot; wherein said integral base has four corners and at least one of said corners has a corner slot therein; and wherein said integral base comprises an integral threshold tab joined to one of said upright sides; and at least one corner base tower, said corner base tower comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material folded into an elongated cylindrical tower having opposing upper and lower ends and at least one tab portion that is inserted into said corner slot of said integral base, wherein said gift receptacle has the exterior appearance of a castle and is adapted to receive gifts, wherein said gift receptacle has the exterior appearance of a castle and is adapted to receive gifts.
In another embodiment, the present invention also provides a gift receptacle comprising an integral base, said integral base comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material folded into a bottom, four upright sides, and a roof having a centrally disposed slot; wherein said integral base has four corners and at least one of said corners has a corner slot therein; and wherein said integral base comprises an integral threshold tab joined to one of said upright sides; at least one corner base tower, said corner base tower comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material folded into an elongated cylindrical tower having opposing upper and lower ends and at least one tab portion that is inserted into said corner slot of said integral base; a rectangular roof tower base, said roof tower base comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material folded into a bottom, four upright sides and a top, wherein said bottom of said roof tower base comprises opposing locking tabs thereon and said top of said roof tower base comprises at least one opening that is adapted to receive one end of a roof tower; at least one roof tower, said roof tower comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material folded into an elongated cylindrical roof tower having opposing upper and lower ends, wherein said lower end of said roof tower is inserted into said rectangular tower base opening; and optionally at least one tower cap, said cap comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material and that is inserted into the upper end of one of at least one said corner base tower and at least one roof tower.
The present invention further provides a kit for the assembly of a gift receptacle comprising: a flexible transparent waterproof package containing a plurality of pieces of self-supporting sheet material, each piece having fold lines thereon; wherein one piece of said self-supporting sheet material, when folded along said fold lines, forms an integral base of said gift receptacle, said integral base comprising a bottom, four upright sides, and a roof having a centrally disposed slot; wherein said integral base also has four corners and at least one of said corners has a corner slot therein and an integral threshold tab that is joined to the bottom edge of one of said upright sides, and at least one corner base tower, said corner base tower comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material folded into an elongated cylindrical tower having opposing upper and lower ends and at least one tab portion that is inserted into said corner slot of said integral base, wherein said gift receptacle has the exterior appearance of a castle and is adapted to receive gifts.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a kit for the assembly of a gift receptacle comprising: a flexible transparent waterproof package containing a plurality of pieces of self-supporting sheet material, each piece having fold lines thereon; wherein one piece of said self-supporting sheet material, when folded along said fold lines, forms an integral base of said gift receptacle, said integral base comprising a bottom, four upright sides, and a roof having a centrally disposed slot; wherein said integral base also has four corners and at least one of said corners has a corner slot therein and an integral threshold tab that is joined to the bottom edge of one of said upright sides; wherein another piece of said self-supporting sheet material, when folded along said fold lines, forms a corner base tower of said gift receptacle, said corner base tower comprising an elongated cylindrical tower having opposing upper and lower ends and at least one tab portion that is adapted to be inserted into said corner slot of said integral base; wherein another piece of said self-supporting sheet material, when folded along said fold lines, forms a rectangular roof tower base, said rectangular roof tower base comprising a bottom, four upright sides and a top, wherein said bottom of said roof tower base comprises opposing locking tabs thereon and said top of said roof tower base comprises at least one opening that is adapted to receive one end of a roof tower; wherein another piece of said self-supporting sheet material, when folded along said fold lines, forms a roof tower, said roof tower comprising an elongated cylindrical tower having opposing upper and lower ends, wherein said lower end of said roof tower is adapted to be inserted into said rectangular tower base opening; and optionally at least one self-supporting sheet material, when folded along said fold lines, forms a tower cap that is adapted to be inserted into the upper end of one of at least one said corner base tower and at least one roof tower; wherein said gift receptacle has the exterior appearance of a castle and is adapted to receive at least one gift.
The present invention further provides a method for forming a gift receptacle comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of pieces of self-supporting sheet material, each of said sheets having fold lines thereon which are foldable along the fold lines thereon to form one shape selected from the group consisting of an integral castle base and a corner base tower, folding one piece of said self-supporting sheet material along fold lines to form said integral castle base, wherein said integral base comprises a bottom, four upright sides, and a roof having a centrally disposed slot; wherein said base has four corners and at least one of said corners has a corner slot therein and an integral threshold tab that is joined to the bottom edge of one of said upright sides; and folding at least one piece of said self-supporting sheet material along fold lines to form said corner base tower, wherein said corner base tower comprises an elongated cylindrical tower having opposing upper and lower ends and at least one tab portion that is adapted to be inserted into said corner slot of said integral base; inserting said tab portion of at least one said corner base tower into said corner slots of said integral castle base, wherein the gift receptacle has the exterior appearance of a castle and is adapted to receive envelopes containing one selected from the group consisting of greeting cards, cash, checks, and gift certificates.
In another embodiment, the present invention further provides a method for forming a gift receptacle comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of pieces of self-supporting sheet material, each of said sheets having fold lines thereon which are foldable along the fold lines thereon to form one shape selected from the group consisting of an integral castle base, a corner base tower, a rectangular roof tower base, a roof tower, and optionally, a tower cap; folding one piece of said self-supporting sheet material along fold lines to form said integral castle base; wherein said integral base comprises a bottom, four upright sides, and a roof having a centrally disposed slot; wherein said base has four corners and at least one of said corners has a corner slot therein and an integral threshold tab that is joined to the bottom edge of one of said upright sides; folding at least one piece of said self-supporting sheet material along fold lines to form said corner base tower; wherein said corner base tower comprises an elongated cylindrical tower having opposing upper and lower ends and at least one tab portion that is adapted to be inserted into said corner slot of said integral base; inserting said tab portion of at least one said corner base tower into said corner slots of said integral castle base; folding one piece of said self-supporting sheet material along fold lines to form said rectangular roof tower base; wherein said rectangular roof tower base comprises a bottom, four upright sides and a top, wherein said bottom of said roof tower comprises opposing locking tabs thereon and said top of said roof tower base comprises at least one opening that is adapted to receive the lower end of a roof tower; placing said folded roof tower base onto the upper surface of said roof; folding at least one piece of said self-supporting sheet material along fold lines to form said roof tower; wherein said roof tower comprises an elongated cylindrical tower having opposing upper and lower ends, wherein the lower end of said roof tower is adapted to be inserted into said rectangular tower opening; inserting the lower end of at least one roof tower into said opening of the roof tower base; and optionally folding at least one piece of said self-supporting sheet material along the fold lines to form a tower cap and inserting said folded tower cap into the upper end of one of at least one said corner base tower and at least one roof tower; wherein the gift receptacle has the exterior appearance of a castle and is adapted to receive envelopes containing one selected from the group consisting of greeting cards, cash, checks, and gift certificates.
The present invention further provides a gift receptacle comprising an integral base comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material folded into a bottom, four upright sides, and a roof, wherein said integral base further includes a slot adapted to receive at least one gift, and wherein said gift receptacle has the exterior appearance of a castle. In another embodiment, said integral base has four corners and at least one of said corners has a corner slot therein; wherein said receptacle further comprises at least one corner base tower comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material folded into an elongated, substantially cylindrical tower having opposing upper and lower ends and at least one tab portion that is inserted into said corner slot of said integral base; and optionally a rectangular roof tower base, said roof tower base comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material folded into a bottom, four upright sides and a top, wherein said bottom of said roof tower base comprises opposing locking tabs and said top of said roof tower base comprises at least one opening that is adapted to receive one end of a roof tower, and at least one roof tower comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material folded into an elongated, substantially cylindrical roof tower having opposing upper and lower ends, wherein said lower end of said at least one roof tower is inserted into at least one of said rectangular tower base openings.
In another embodiment, the gift receptacle further comprises at least one tower cap, said cap comprising a foldable self-supporting sheet material and that is adapted to be inserted into the upper end of one of said base tower and roof tower.
The invention further provides a kit for the assembly of a gift receptacle comprising: a flexible transparent waterproof package containing a piece of self-supporting sheet material, said piece of self-supporting sheet material having fold lines thereon, and when folded along said fold lines, forms an integral base of said gift receptacle, said folded integral base comprising a bottom, four upright sides, and a roof, wherein said integral base further includes a slot adapted to receive gifts, and wherein said gift receptacle has the exterior appearance of a castle. In another embodiment, said integral base has four corners and at least one of said corners has a corner slot therein; and wherein said kit further comprises at least one piece of said self-supporting sheet material, when folded along said fold lines, forms a corner base tower of said gift receptacle, said at least one corner base tower comprising an elongated, substantially cylindrical tower having opposing upper and lower ends and at least one tab portion that is adapted to be inserted into said corner slot of said integral base; and optionally at least one piece of said self-supporting sheet material, when folded along said fold lines, forms a rectangular roof tower base, said folded roof tower base comprising a bottom, four upright sides and a top, wherein said bottom of said roof tower base comprises opposing locking tabs and said top of said roof tower base comprises at least one opening that is adapted to receive one end of a roof tower, and at least one piece of said self-supporting sheet material, when folded along said fold lines forms at least one elongated, substantially cylindrical roof tower having opposing upper and lower ends, wherein said lower end of said at least one roof tower is adapted to be inserted into said at least one rectangular tower base opening.
In another embodiment, the kit includes at least one piece of said self-supporting sheet material, when folded along said fold lines forms at least one tower cap adapted to be inserted into the upper end of one of said base tower and roof tower.